Grandma’s Linzer Cookies Recipe for a Wonderful Christmas!
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I don’t know about you, but at home, we officially opened the Christmas bakery this weekend. And what should definitely not be missing in the cookie jar? Grandma’s Linzer cookies, of course! Get a piece of Christmas on the table because you’re about to find the best Linzer cookies recipe for an absolute guarantee of success!
Whether as a personal snack or as a small gift from the kitchen – baking cookies is simply a part of the Christmas season. The smell of freshly baked cookies is truly magical, and let’s face it – who doesn’t love cookies? In addition to vanilla crescents, aniseed cookies, or shortbread cookies, Grandma’s Linzer cookies are an absolute must for Christmas in my family!
Grandma’s Classic Linzer Cookies Recipe for a Wonderful Christmas!
Soft, buttery and filled with jam – Grandma’s Linzer cookies are a feast for the senses and immediately bring back wonderful childhood memories for me. The following recipe has been passed down from generation to generation in my family, and I am so excited to share it with you! But enough talk – read on and get to the oven!
Ingredients for 32 cookies:
- 230 grams/1 cup butter, unsalted
- 120 grams/1 1/8 cup of powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks, size L
- 310 grams/2 1/8 cup of wheat flour
- 100 grams/1 cup of almond flour
- 30 ml/1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 vanilla pod or alternatively 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- Raspberry or apricot jam
- Powdered sugar for decorating
Preparation:
- Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer for 3 minutes until light, white.
- Add the sugar and stir for another 2–3 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Fold in the egg yolks and stir briefly.
Add salt, vanilla pulp (or vanilla extract), cinnamon and lemon juice to a bowl and stir everything together for 1–2 minutes until smooth. - At low speed, gradually add the wheat flour and almond flour and mix into a smooth dough.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts and form into balls.
- Wrap the dough halves in cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Roll out the first half of the dough on a floured work surface into a 0.5 cm thick circle.
- Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out the Linzer cookies and place them on the baking sheet.
- Next, cut a hole or other Christmas motifs such as stars and Christmas trees out of half of the cookies.
- Bake the cookies one at a time for 9–10 minutes and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Mix the jam well in a small bowl and spread it on the cookies without a motif.
- Place cookies with a motif on top and press lightly.
- You can briefly bring the remaining jam to boil in a small pot, pour it into a piping bag, and use it to fill the gap in the middle of the cookies.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and leave to set at room temperature for at least 2–3 hours.
And voilà – it’s so easy to prepare grandma’s Linzer cookies according to the original recipe!
Also read: Christmas Cookie Decorating Ideas: Get Inspired by Our 20+ Creative Ideas!
Linzer Cookies Recipe: Tips & Tricks for the Correct Preparation
The dough becomes too crumbly, and you can’t cut out the cookies very well – unfortunately, mishaps in the kitchen are not uncommon. And so that your Grandma’s Linzer cookies always turn out perfectly, we’ll tell you the best tips and tricks that you should take note of!
- So that you can roll out the cookie dough easily later, shape it into a flat rectangle and leave it in the fridge for at least 1–2 hours – grandma’s Linzer cookies just need time and patience.
- It would be best if you divided the dough into 2–3 parts and gradually rolled them out on a well-floured work surface.
- To prevent the dough from sticking to the cutter, dip the cutter briefly in wheat flour.
- The best options for Grandma’s Linzer cookies are cookie cutters with ejection, which already have a small cookie cutter with the corresponding motif in the middle.
- If you want to bake several Linzer cookies, rolling them out may take more time. Since the dough should always be well chilled before baking, place the prepared baking sheets back in the refrigerator. This step is particularly important because cookie dough that is too soft unfortunately cannot be rolled out and cut out easily.
- Always keep an eye on the Linzer cookies while they are baking – they should always be nice and light. Once they start to brown around the edges, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Don’t worry if the cookies are still soft after baking – they will firm up when cold.
- To make the jam easier to spread, we recommend heating it briefly first.
- To prevent the jam from running out, lightly brush the bottom cookies with it and dust the cookies with the motif with a little powdered sugar.
Also read: Cute & Easy Christmas Cookie Decorating Ideas for Beginners